Hormonal effect of the body lotion

Every second body lotion is loaded with hormonally active chemicals

06/12/2013

Apparently harmless cosmetic products such as body lotions sometimes entail unexpected risks. For example, the Austrian environmental organization Global 2000 has carried out a review of „Around 400 bodylotions, toothpastes and aftershaves available on the Austrian market for the presence of hormonally active chemicals“ found that every second body lotion and every second aftershave and every fifth toothpaste contained appropriate chemicals.

Especially for pregnant women and children, the hormonally-contaminated products can pose a health risk, according to the environmental protection organization. Global 2000 called on politics to act promptly and „Cosmetic hormones“ to disallow. Hormonal chemicals are substances, according to the organization, „which due to their random structural similarity with endogenous hormones can negatively affect the sensitive hormonal control processes in the body.“ According to Global 2000, the substances are linked to numerous human diseases. Dr. Helmut Burtscher, biochemist at GLOBAL 2000, explained that the result of the cosmetic check was so worrying, „because the substances found are chemicals whose hormone-damaging potential in animals is clearly proven.“

Impaired hormone balance in the bathroom
According to the findings of the current study, many people - without realizing it - affect their hormone balance in the bathroom in the morning and at worst expose themselves to serious health risks. Because „With the application of cosmetic products, these substances enter the body, where they can disrupt the hormonal balance and cause irreversible health damage“, explained Dr. Burtscher. In the message of the environmental protection organization, Professor Andreas Lischka, longtime director of the Children's Hospital Glanzing, also cited the statement that „Hormonal pollutants are associated with a variety of disorders that are on the rise for several decades in the industrialized world.“

Potential health effects from hormonally active chemicals
As such, for example „Impaired reproductive system, hormone-associated cancers such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer, premature puberty in girls, and behavioral problems in children“ to name, reports Prof. Lischka. The person skilled in the art further explained that the possible disorders of the hormonally regulated development processes in the maturing fetus and in the baby are particularly delicate, since during the so-called „development-critical time window“ Even before and shortly after birth, the smallest amounts of hormonally active chemicals can cause irreversible damage. For this reason „We should also consider the fact that hormone-active chemicals from cosmetics are also detectable in the blood of newborns and breast milk“, stressed Professor Lischka.

Children's toothpastes particularly heavily loaded
The experts of the Austrian environmental protection organization also critically assessed that the toothpastes examined showed the highest levels of stress in the children's toothpastes. As problematic ingredients are above all „Preservatives from the group of parabens and chemical UV filters“ to mention. Since children often swallow toothpaste, according to the environmental protection organization, a ban on such ingredients is urgently required. However, this also applies to the other cosmetic products tested. „As long as this has not happened yet, the manufacturers have to live up to their responsibility towards the customers and take these substances as a precautionary measure from their products“, demanded Helmut Burtscher. As a small positive message of the cosmetic check, however, can be evaluated that „the 38 randomly examined natural cosmetic products“ According to Global 200, all were free of hormonally active chemicals. Consumers therefore have the opportunity to send a clear signal to manufacturers with their purchase decision. (Fp)